British judoka Karina Bryant delivered a second judo medal in as many days as
she won her bronze medal heavyweight final against Iryna Kindzerska of
Ukraine in dramatic fashion at the ExCel centre.

Bryant, contesting her fourth and final Olympics, ended the bout with a second wazari score, capping a remarkable comeback after going behind to a wazari and yuko to her opponent, who enjoyed a four-stone weight advantage.

Bryant, who was sidelined for six months last year with a neck injury, had booked her place in the semi-final with a dramatic victory over Kazakhstan’s Gulzhan Issanova.

Bryant looked on course for defeat after conceding a yuko score for two penalties.

But the Camberley fighter delivered a decisive wazari throw in the final seconds to set up the chance to fight for a gold medal – less than 24 hours after Gemma Gibbons’ won a silver medal in the women’s -78kg.

Bryant received the quarter-finals with an impressive victory over third seed and 2008 Olympic bronze medallist Lucija Polavder of Slovakia. The 31 year-old had to avoid some late aggression, but closed out to progress to the last eight - and with it a shot at the medals.

There will be no medals from the men’s team however as Chris Sherrington lost to Russian Alexander Mikhaylin, the current European Champion and three-times world gold medalist.

Royal Marine Sherrington took took the bout into extra time but Mikhaylin landed a golden score with a leg sweep Yuko.

Bryant, had earlier eased her through to the second round by defeating Algeria’s Sonia Asselah in the first round.

Sherrington, the 29 year-old Royal Marine from West Lothian, had opened his day in encouraging fashion when he landed an ippon score to win his first round against Jake Andrewartha from Australia in under a minute.

Sherrington afterwards said he could have no regrets about his performance despite failing to build on Gibbons’s triumph on Thursday.

“I fought well and he just got me in the end, but he is a two-time world judo champion, and it was not an ippon which beat me, so maybe next time he will get what is coming,” Sherrington said.

“I am the best shape I have ever been in and have only got eight years of judo, he has 30 and he showed it.

“I was totally focused during the fight, but as I walked off, there was three Royal Marines screaming, 'yes!' and I was like 'all right lads, fancy seeing you here’.”

Gibbons, who won Britain’s first judo medal in 12 years on Thursday in the women’s -78kg category, said on Friday night she hoped to inspire the next generation of British judokas after delivering a first Olympic medal for 12 years with silver in the women's under-78kgs at ExCeL.